The Royal College of Psychiatrists
The Psychiatric Trainees Committee (PTC)
Draft Minutes of the meeting of the PTC, held on
Monday 27 April 2009
1.
Present
Dr Waleed Ahmed
Dr Elena Baker-Glenn
Dr Elizabeth Barrett
Dr Daniel Bennett
Dr Elizabeth Bennett
Dr Marisa Casanova Dias
Dr Floriana Coccia
Dr Deepti Desai
Dr Arpan Dutta
Dr Michelle Gilmore
Dr Irfan Hanif
Miss Jude Harrison
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Elizabeth Herbert
Matthew Impey
Josie Jenkinson
Hitesh Joshi
Mark Lovell
Gregory Lydall
Neil Masson
Caroline Methuen
Clare Oakley (Chair)
Christopher Pell
David Polyakov-Nelson
Thomas Russ
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Larissa Ryan
Rajvinder Sambhi
Jeremy Sandbrook
Tanja Schumm
Meinou Simmons
Priti Singh
Mark Tarn
Johannes Van Niekerk
Lucy Watkin
Oliver White
Gary Woods
Nuruz Zaman
In attendance: Miss Rebecca Cove, Dr Neel Halder.
2.
Apologies for absence
Dr Cyrus Abbasian
Dr Yat Chow
Mr Vivek Datta
Dr Robert Dudas
3.
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr
Darran Flynn
Iain McKinnon
Sharmila Menon
Ben Shooter
Dr Amjad Uppal
Dr Vanessa Wong
Dr Valerie Yeung
Welcome and miscellaneous notices from the Chair
Dr Oakley welcomed all members to the meeting, and made a plea for papers and
reports to be submitted well in advance of meetings in order to reduce the number
of late and tabled reports.
4.
(a)
Matters arising from the meeting on 12 February 2009
Minutes of the meeting on the 12 February 2009
The minutes were approved as presented. No matters arising.
(b)
Science Museum Report
A response was received to suggestions made by the PTC about improving the
representation of psychiatry at the Science Museum. In which, the Principal Curator
of Medicine at the Science Museum, Dr Robert Bud, stated that the structure of the
exhibition and finances would be constraints to implementing these suggestions
within the museum. However, they have launched a new website, which they are
keen to develop. He thanked the PTC for their interest, and asked for further
collaboration in the future.
5.
(a)
PTC participation in the College / Other meetings / Careers Fairs
PTC AGM Function 2009
The committee was reminded of plans for a dinner in Liverpool on Wednesday 3
June, to coincide with the Trainees’ Day at the AGM. The Dean, the President, the
Chief Executive, and the Registrar will attend. Anyone interested in booking a place
should send a cheque for £10 to Rebecca Cove at the College, and places will be
allocated in strict order of receipt of payment.
(b)
Question generation, for Q&A session at the AGM
The committee discussed ideas of questions which could be asked during a session
at the AGM where the following panel members would be present: Patricia Le
Rolland (Director of quality, PMETB), Jacky Hayden (Lead Dean of Psychiatry, NW
Deanery), Rob Howard (Dean, RCPsych), Clare Oakley (PTC Chair) and David
Fearnley (Medical Director, Mersey Care NHS Trust)
The following topics were highlighted as areas for discussion:
Quality Assurance issues, with particular emphasis on the safety aspect, trainee
feedback, and trainees being involved in the inspection process itself, but in a
neighbouring Deanery, not their own.
How and where trainees should best raise concerns about their training.
How the European Working Time Directive affects trainees.
Clarification and standardisation of the ARCP process, such as which paperwork
should be used, and the nature of the interview element, as there seem to be
discrepancies between different Trusts and Deaneries.
(c)
European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT) Forum
It was reported that the forum would be held in Cambridge in July, and that the
constitution has been finalised. As part of the forum, the representatives of each
participating country bring a poster to highlight the differences in training
geographically. It was suggested that this year the poster should focus on
Recruitment.
(d)
World Psychiatric Association
It was announced that the President has asked Dr Oakley to be the Young
Psychiatrist Representative for this triennium.
(e)
PTC Elections
It was stated that elections will shortly be taking place for the Eastern, London,
Northern & Yorkshire, and South Western divisions. A letter will be sent to all
trainees registered with the College in these divisions within the next month asking
for nominations. Any trainees wishing to be elected on to the PTC were encouraged
to apply.
(f)
Careers Fairs
Some ideas were suggested of how to make displays at careers fairs more
interesting or interactive. Suggestions included audio visual presentations, stickers
to hand out, and inviting a successfully treated service user. Other ideas involved
items to decorate the table with, such as a model of a brain, and ways to make the
stand more visible, such as eye-catching posters. Connecting psychiatry to popular
culture by having a display of films, posters, and books was also mentioned. It was
noted that there were practical issues to be considered in relation to many of these
ideas, for example copyright issues, transporting extra equipment and sometimes a
lack of space at venues, so it was suggested that it might be better for the initiative
to be implemented locally. It was suggested that a bank of ideas and resources that
had been used successfully could be put on the website, for future use. The
presence and enthusiasm of trainees and consultants was highlighted as useful and
important.
6.
(a)
Chair’s items for consideration
Reports from Central Executive, ETSC, Heads of School, and
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
There was a special meeting of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) which was
concerned with the New Horizons mental health policy. It was reported that it is
unclear exactly what form it will take, but that the changing role of the consultant
was an issue on the agenda.
At the ETSC, the document about how many workplace based assessments should
be required from less than full time trainees was presented. It was agreed that
flexible trainees would only have to complete WPBAs on a pro-rata basis rather
than having to do the same number per calendar year as full time trainees. This
information was also forwarded to the Heads of Schools.
The Dean presented a document called “The Cost of Training for Trainers,” which
outlines the College view on how much time Chief Executives should allocate to
consultants for training within their job description. These times allow specific time
for educational supervision in addition to other tasks such as workplace-based
assessments.
The Dean presented a document broadly in favour of dual training, as long as there
was a clear service need. In this way emphasis has been placed on using the dual
training on completion, rather than switching to one of either of the two specialties.
It was pointed out that this relies on deaneries offering dual training posts.
In the Heads of School meeting it was emphasised that core trainees need to be
involved in out of hours working, so that they are able to gain vital experience, and
calling on advice from higher trainees, so that they in turn gain supervisory
experience. The relation between the ARCP and the exam was also discussed, as
initial data suggest that people are succeeding at ARCP but failing the CASC. It was
thought that any shortfalls in knowledge or training need to be addressed more
effectively at an earlier stage, rather than a trainee progressing successfully to the
final exam and only then discovering that there is a competency issue.
(b)
Recruitment into Psychiatry
(i)
Student Associates Newsletter
This was received for information.
(ii)
Student Associates Leaflet / Postcard
This was received for information.
(iii)
Summer school, AGM, and Conference Days
It was noted that there were still spaces left for these events. Jude Harrison agreed
to post an advertisement on the Facebook site. All committee members were
encouraged to make medical students locally aware of these upcoming events.
(iv)
Core trainees teaching document
It was reported that the core trainees teaching document was nearly finished.
Volunteers were requested to finalise the document, so that it could be put on to
the website and included in the upcoming PTC Newsletter.
(v)
Celebrity endorsements
It was reported that the Dean had been contacted by journalists following a
mention of the RCPsych by Stephen Fry on Twitter. The Dean had therefore asked
whether members of the PTC knew any other high profile people who could be
approached to endorse the College. Several individuals were mentioned, but it was
uncertain whether it would be appropriate to approach them.
(c)
Psychiatric Bulletin
Neel Halder asked for input from the committee about how the Psychiatric Bulletin
could be changed and updated, and which aspects of the current format should
remain. It was suggested that the cover could be modernised, with pictures that
related to the main article for each issue. Other ideas were that there could be
columns dedicated to exams, and CPD, and that the officers of the College could be
interviewed in the section at the back. It was mentioned that the publication should
retain the feel of a Journal rather than a Newsletter, but should also be accessible,
so that a balance should be struck. There was support for the Bulletin being current
and up to date, with suggestions for a debate section, and an urgent or breaking
news section, and summaries of current research.
(d)
Audit Book
Contributions were invited for a book of audits. This is to be published by RCPsych
Publications, and each contributor will be credited. It was requested that anyone
interested in contributing should email Clare Oakley, and in order to avoid
duplication of topics, a list of audits already collated would be provided on the PTC
Forum.
(e)
International Psychiatry Resident/Trainee Burnout Study: BoSS
Greg Lydall highlighted this study to evaluate the presence and level of “burnout
syndrome” amongst psychiatry trainees in 26 countries, and requested trainees’
email addresses from the College. It was stated that the College would not give out
email addresses of their members, but that it would be possible for the College to
email trainees directly, with a link to the UK questionnaire. The secure website
Surveymonkey.com would be used to ensure full data security, encryption and
anonymity of the answers.
(f)
Mental Health Research UK Charity
Larissa Ryan drew the committee’s attention to the charity “Mental Health Research
UK” which has recently been set up. One of the Trustees, Professor Chilvers, has
agreed to write a short piece about the charity for the trainees’ section of the
website.
7.
(a)
Training Issues
Work Place Based Assessments (WPBA)
It was noted that Clare Oakley was due to have a meeting with Andy Brittlebank in
two weeks time in order to discuss issues related to WPBA. It was reported that the
DONCs pilot of a new tool for higher trainees to assess non-clinical skills such as
chairing meetings, ward rounds, leadership competencies, and teaching etc was
under way.
(b)
Quality Assurance
This was covered in the report from the Quality Assurance Committee.
(c)
MRCPsych exams
The PTC had received a letter from a candidate who had failed the Paper 2 Exam,
and was dissatisfied with the facilities available before the start of the exam, such
as the lack of toilets or an appropriate waiting area. Whilst there is an official
appeals procedure for candidates to contest the outcome of exams, this candidate
felt that her comments had received an unsatisfactorily impersonal response. It was
suggested that the venue in question may not be suitable for exams, and that this
should be discussed with the Head of the Examinations Department.
(d)
National selection
It was reported that around 40% of applicants for CT1 were trained in the UK, and
that there would be a second national recruitment round in order to fill remaining
posts after the first round.
(e)
European Working Time Directive (EWTD) and emergency work
Dr Oakley reported that she had been asked to speak about this topic at the
College Medical Education conference in September and that this would be a good
way to highlight the important issues to tutors and Heads of School.
8.
Reports from other Officers
Nothing further to report.
9.
(a)
Communication
Newsletter
It was noted that the PTC Newsletter will be sent in two weeks.
(b)
Website Editor’s report
Work on the website is ongoing.
(c)
Communications website
PTC members were reminded of a previous practice of posting committee reports
on the PTC Forum. This was thought to be a useful practice, and it was suggested
that it would be a good idea for committee members to add their reports to the
writeboards, as this would be a useful resource for future reference. Committee
members were reminded that it was essential to ensure that a copy of any
committee report was e-mailed to Rebecca Cove prior to the next PTC meeting for
inclusion in the agenda, even if it had already been posted on the forum.
10.
Committee Reports
These were received for information.
11.
(a)
Correspondence
MRCPsych Paper 2 appeal
Discussed at point 7 (c)
12.
For information
Nothing further to report.
13.
Any other business
Nothing further to report.
14.
Dates of forthcoming meetings:
Thursday 23 July 2009
Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October 2009 (Residential)
Thursday 3 December 2009